"Brother, how could this happen?" Ayime's red eyes looked at Yabin as she asked, confused.
"Something's wrong. It doesn't seem right," Yabin muttered, glancing around to make sure no one outside the dungeon could hear them. Only then did he slowly speak.
This was the second time he had spoken since being captured. The first time, after hearing about the elf knights wounding Granden the Tower Master, and the overwhelming curse magic being unleashed on the two of them, Yabin had used his last bit of strength to whisper to Ayime, "Don't say anything rash." After that, he had remained silent, his expression blank and emotionless.
"Why?" Ayime asked, bewildered.
"It seems like we've walked right into someone's trap. But, luckily, it doesn't seem to be a trap aimed at us—we're just collateral damage," Yabin answered.
"What?" Ayime asked, still confused.
"Both of the elf knights were sent by Elder Ruya. No matter what kind of dispute occurred, they wouldn't just attack others. Plus, with their power, they wouldn't be able to injure someone as powerful as Granden the Tower Master." By now, Yabin had fully returned to his usual sharp and calculating self. "This is definitely a trap. That's why I told you not to speak. The more inconspicuous we act, the less attention we'll draw, and that gives us a better chance."
"You mean this is all staged? Fake? But there were five people from three towers who saw it all. They said it was because Master Granden was unprepared..."
"They were controlled by mental magic," Yabin said, his eyes gleaming with the sharpness of a predator, despite still being bound and thrown on the ground. "I've seen a similar magic in Alrasia, used by that necromancer cardinal. I can sense a slight magical fluctuation like that, and those mages' expressions seemed strange too."
Elemental mages, when not actively focusing, couldn't match the magical perception abilities of priests or paladins who practiced white magic. However, Yabin had a profound impression of mental magic—so deep that even if he tried to forget, it remained ingrained in his mind.
"But there's no one in the Tooth Tower who practices mental magic. And that kind of rare magic is not often studied..."
Yabin paused for a moment, then said, "Didn't we just hear that Master Aiden had a guest earlier? But with such a huge incident, where is that guest now? Someone who associates with Master Aiden, a Grand Magician, wouldn't be an ordinary person, right?"
"That's true. Aside from being friends with the missing Master Aisri, I've hardly ever heard of him having any other friends. Are you implying...?"
Yabin fell silent for a long time before shaking his head. "I don't know the specifics, but what I do know is that we need to escape as soon as possible. There's no reason to stay here and be used as pawns in the Tooth Tower's internal struggles." As he spoke, he had already gotten to his feet, and the ropes binding him fell away.
The ropes used by the mages were not like those of thieves, and to Yabin, the knots were no more complex than those tied by children. The primary method of restraint wasn't the ropes, but rather the weakening and sluggish curses cast on their bodies. However, even with high-level elemental curses, they wouldn't last long under the purification abilities of white magic.
While the locks on the dungeon door were heavily sealed with magic, strong enough to withstand a grandmaster-level fire magic, Yabin had easily opened them with a simple piece of wire. These little tricks weren't hard to learn, especially for someone who was willing to put in the effort.
Just as they were about to sneak out, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside the dungeon. Yabin motioned for Ayime to lie back down in the corner, while he hid near the door. There were mages nearby, and as long as he struck quickly, he had an advantage.
However, it seemed that this wouldn't be necessary. A group of magical apprentices rushed into the dungeon, and at the front was a fiery-haired apprentice from the Tower of Fire. She held a magical key and, with two swift motions, unlocked the already open magic seal and pulled the door open. "We're here to rescue you," she called.
Celeste, within the teleportation circle of the Glory Fortress, a blue glow shimmered as the Marquis stepped into view, a smile gracing his face.
Master Aiden's reaction had been entirely within his expectations. During the twenty years in Dehya Valley, the Marquis had already seen through this seemingly aloof and composed old man, whose desires burned fiercer than anyone else's. The two items taken by Sandru had long driven Aiden to near madness. As soon as those items were presented, Aiden had barely been able to conceal his greed or even muster the composure to haggle.
And an overwhelming desire is always the veil that blinds reason.
In his obsession, Aiden had abandoned the poise and caution that a necromancer should possess, acting instead like a starving bandit, reckless and impulsive, with his schemes riddled with flaws. But none of that mattered. With the hundreds of high-level mages under his command, he could surely level the Whispering Woods, now stripped of the protection of the Sunwell. The World Tree Leaf was practically within reach.
Just as these slightly triumphant thoughts crossed his mind while he stepped off the teleportation magic array, the Marquis's smile froze. He saw someone standing across from him, staring.
The man had not moved, looking as if he had always been there. His eyes didn't even blink, like a statue. Only when the Marquis stepped down from the array did he move forward.
Rather than saying the man had been staring at the Marquis, it was more accurate to say that he had been staring at the teleportation array, waiting for the Marquis to return.
"His Majesty asked me to wait here for the Bishop. Please, Bishop, go to the conference room immediately," said Knight Tamik, bowing to the Marquis. His expression was as blank and stiff as a statue. Behind him were two other knights dressed as Holy Knights.
For several seconds, the Marquis's frozen smile only slowly dissolved. However, it seemed not to fully melt, as if sharp, icy spikes still jutted from his expression. "Well... well... His Majesty truly has foresight. I must say I admire it. I wish you success, Knight Tamik."
Knight Tamik remained expressionless, offering no response.
After watching the Marquis leave, Knight Tamik and the two Holy Knights behind him took out a teleportation scroll.
The blue teleportation light vanished, and the three appeared in a magic array. In the distance, the four towers of Earth, Water, Fire, and Air stood tall. This was the teleportation magic array of the Tooth Tower.
Two mages guarding the teleportation array approached them. The teleportation scrolls of the Tooth Tower were not easily obtained, and the three newcomers were clearly dressed in church attire. The Tooth Tower had no ties with the Church, and in fact, had been antagonistic towards the Magic Academy. They were considered adversaries. "Who are you? Who are you looking for...?"
Crack! The two mages' heads collided and shattered into a mess. They clearly saw the stiff-faced knight approaching, and he reached out to press their heads. His movements didn't seem fast or strong, yet they couldn't resist as their skulls cracked.
Knight Tamik left the two bodies behind, their heads crushed, without a trace of blood on him. His actions were natural and casual, as if he were picking melons in a field, even keeping his gaze on the distant, chaotic crowd. The Tooth Tower was still in turmoil, and no one noticed the scene.
"His Majesty was right. Let's go. From here, we just need to follow the traces of magic elements to the north," he said.